Driver Fleeing Robbers Is Shot

NEWPORT NEWS — A 28-year-old Newport News resident was shot Tuesday evening as he tried to drive away from a trio of robbers.

The man, shot in the upper chest and arm, crashed his car but was not critically injured.

It was the city's second carjacking incident in as many days. On Monday, robbers took a man's car in the Patrick Henry Mall parking lot.

Tuesday's victim was driving on 35th Street about 6:30 p.m. when he stopped for a man staggering in the street, said police spokeswoman Lynn James.

"Another male approached him and said, `Hey, my buddy is hurt. Can you give me a towel?' " James said.

A third man then jumped into the passenger side, and the driver was ordered out. The driver hit the accelerator and was shot.

The man rammed his car into a tree about a block later, then ran to a nearby business for help.

Police had descriptions of only two suspects. One is a medium-complected black male, about 18, 5-foot-11, 140 to 150 pounds, wearing a Redskins jacket and red skullcap. The second was in his early 20s, a medium-complected black male, 160 pounds, 6-foot-1 or 6-foot-2, with a mustache. He was wearing black baggy pants, a black coat and a black skullcap.